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The Literature ‘Top Girls’ by Caryl Churchill is shaped by the concern of women in work throughout the play. The concern of ‘roles’ in work that women have been reinforced to take and women climbing the ladder of success in work breaking the gender hierarchy are seen in ‘Top Girls. Also shows us that one woman’s success in society does not bring up the fortune for the rest of the women.
Caryl Churchill may make ‘Top Girls’ seem to be feminist however it seems to suggest a reinforcement of the opinions of the misogynistic characters. Those characters think that a successful working woman is emotionless, monstrous, selfish, and compulsive. ‘Miserable and lonely you’re not natural’[footnoteRef:1]. Mrs. Kidd says this to Marlene as she does not accept leaving this job for Mrs. Kidd’s husband who she thinks deserves the position more, she finds it unnatural that a woman is placed higher in status than her husband who is male. It places weight on the traditional opinion that a woman’s natural habit should be at their respective home and kitchen taking care of her children. ‘I think I pass as a man at work’[footnoteRef:2]. This is a statement made by Louise in an interview with Win, this suggests the idea that as a woman you need to adopt the behavior of a man to have success or to climb up the ladder in their field of work. Contradicts the idea of freedom and feminism in work as it seems they need to take on the values and aggressiveness behavior of men they have been resenting, who have been oppressing women for centuries and beyond. To gain knowledge and enter a library Pope Joan had to dress as a male and become a male just so then she could finally become a Pope. This also reinforces the idea that to have success in work a female must adopt the behaviour of a man. ‘I shouldn’t have been a woman. Women, children, and lunatics can’t be a pope’[footnoteRef:3] this gives more heft to Mrs. Kidd’s statement towards Marlene about her being abnormal while Pope Joan becomes a male, but she is a female, and this is unnatural. She has no choice but to disguise herself as a male to expand her knowledge and become a Pope, bringing back the idea of a contradiction of freedom and feminism. She has never really been free, this is because she is a female, and to be able to do what she wants she must take on the act of a man. [1: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 189] [2: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 178] [3: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 120]
In the race to climb the hierarchy of the working field, a woman’s professional horizon is still very limited, though it may have changed a lot from the past there are still restrictions. Men climb up the ladder faster and are expected to have a higher standing than women in work. ‘Howard thinks because he’s a fella the job was his as of right’[footnoteRef:4]. Howard thinks it’s his ‘right’ as a male, since to him women are below men. He hates the idea of working under the orders of a woman, making him take it out on his wife. This signifies the unchanging attitude towards the idea that women should work under men whether it’s in the professional field or at home. ‘I think if it was a man he’d get over it as something normal’[footnoteRef:5]. Marlene being given a higher position Howard can’t seem to accept it, the professional chances of a woman’s standing was changing slowly, and he couldn’t take it. I think it generalizes the basic fact that women having a higher status than men professionally were seen as unusual or unnatural as if they were breaking a sacred rule; that said men should always be at the top of the food chain. ‘I’ve seen young men who I trained go on, in my own company or elsewhere to higher things.’[footnoteRef:6] While the young men Louise taught go off to do greater things she is stuck there unappreciated with no recognition for her work. No matter how hard she works and dedicates herself to the company her professional standing is motionless. This shows us the opportunities that men get are brighter whereas most women get disregarded even if they do better work than their male co-workers. There is a divide between women and men regarding work, men are to be aggressive and ambitious while women are to be feminine and delicate but if a woman career driven is pushy, and striving it is seen as abnormal. [4: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 163] [5: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 188] [6: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 176]
To be able to work women are to let go of their families and love is a topic of concern that shapes ‘Top Girls’. ‘Top Girls’ portrays the struggles of women having to choose between their personal life and professional lives. ‘Does that mean you don’t want a long-term job, Jeannine?’[footnoteRef:7] Marlene assumes because Jeanine is saving to get married she won’t be working long, as she will have children and be taking care of them. It’s as if there is no choice between career and family. ‘Saves taking it off’[footnoteRef:8] Marlene suggests that Jeannine is better off taking her engagement ring off when working though she doesn’t have one, as they presume that a woman is likely to take off from her job for childbirth. If she does wear her ring to work suggests that it will reduce her reliability in her profession and give her fewer opportunities to climb higher up the ladder. There seems to be a disadvantage to having a family or a love life when you want to pursue your career as a woman. ‘But he’s got a family to support. He’s got three children. It’s only fair’[footnoteRef:9] Mrs. Kidd thinks it’s fair when in fact it is not, Marlene worked hard to get that position and she wouldn’t leave it just for that lousy argument. While women with a family are seen as a reason for them to stop working, men who have a family are to be working to provide for their family. You can see the different roles in which women and men are placed. ‘I don’t know how you could leave your child’[footnoteRef:10] Joyce says this to Merlene. For the sake of her professional career, Marlene sacrificed her connection with her family even to the point of leaving her child with her sister. ‘look you’ve left, you’ve gone away[footnoteRef:11] Marlene has left all the responsibility of the family to her sister who visits their mom once a week, tends to their fathers grave and takes care of Marlene’s child. To get her dreams to come true she lets go of her family. Throughout ‘Top Girl’ the idea that to be successful you must have no deep relationships or connections, is seen through the characters Marlene, Win, and Nell who won’t even envision settling down. [7: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 172] [8: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 173] [9: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 189] [10: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 221] [11: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 220]
Though women do succeed in work that does not mean all fate of women is elevated, be it through money or status, one woman’s success does not make the world fairer. This can be seen through Joyce, as Marlene goes on to succeed she is stuck struggling and juggling her multiple jobs. Her husband was angry about her trying to better herself by going to evening classes, he tried to control her efforts to better the quality of her life ’And if I wanted to go out in the evening he’d go mad, even if it was nothing, a class’[footnoteRef:12]. ‘I hate the working class’[footnoteRef:13] Marlene declares this which is quite an irony as Joyce works harder than she does. ‘I’ve got four different cleaning jobs. Adds up. There’s not a lot around here’[footnoteRef:14] Joyce juggles 4 jobs, visits their mum and their father’s grave, as well as takes care of Marlene’s child whom Joyce loves as her own. Though Joyce works so hard having to take care of the mess and broken pieces Marlene left behind she is underpaid and unappreciated for her hard work. This signifies that she is a sacrifice for the success of her sister as she carries all the burdens of the family, Joyce is a reminder of the rotten life Marlene left behind and will forever be stuck in that state. Suggests can female freedom exists when it transforms women like Marlene, clever; into predators and does nothing for the stupid, weak, and helpless women. [12: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 226] [13: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 231] [14: Caryl Churchill, Top Girls (London, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013), p. 226]
In conclusion ‘Top Girls’ is shaped by the concern of women working in a professional career. Different aspects that make them struggle through ‘Top Girls’ are explored within. There are Ironic moments hidden between the lines of the characters, as Marlene thinks the working class just doesn’t work hard enough. The Concern of work for women in shaping the whole of ‘Top Girls’ is about a career-driven woman eager to climb higher, what she does to get to managing director, and all that she has left behind.
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